


Anticlimactic

by mkhhhx



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff, Hyungwon Bingo, Late Nights, M/M, Slice of Life, hot dogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 06:28:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19290100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mkhhhx/pseuds/mkhhhx
Summary: The way to Hyungwon's heart is through his stomach. Changkyun makes good use of it.





	Anticlimactic

**Author's Note:**

> For the "midday" square.

They always meet at weird hours. Either around midnight, or way after it, but still before the sun is up. Hyungwon prefers the latter, it’s when the streets are emptying and the little canteen truck is void of customers, save for some stray drunk party-goers, dying for some hot dogs and cola.

Changkyun serves everyone with a smile, his movements precise and calculated and Hyungwon has seen many people succeed at their professions, but nobody as good. Every time Changkyun constructs one more perfect hot dog Hyungwon feels himself falling a little bit more in love.

His mother always told him that love and being in love would be the best gift he would ever receive in his life. So se expected to find it literally everywhere than the little canteen a hundred meters away from his workplace.

He can’t complain though, because Changkyun, the son of the owner and sole full time employee has the whole package. He’s handsome, Hyungwon a couple of months ago would say Changkyun’s not his type -his bleached hair, more piercings he can count in one hand and black painted nails at the end of dainty fingers- but guess again, because it turns out he is.

And he’s clever too, punny and witty and with an all-around attractive mind. Hyungwon was never shy around boys or girls, got hit on a lot, but with Changkyun he finds himself at loss of words more often than not and yet, he enjoys each and every conversation.

Sometimes the canteen will be crowded and their exchange will only consist of Changkyun’s merry “What can I make you sir?” and Hyungwon’s “the usual, please.” And Hyungwon will take his hot dog with extra ketchup and his extra-large drink and head to the club, or head home, leaving Changkyun to tend to the other customers.

Other times they actually talk. When the benches in front of the canteen are empty Changkyun gets out to keep Hyungwon company while he eats, his long black apron full of oil stains and his hair smelling of grease. Hyungwon knows that because every time they sit a little bit closer, enough to almost be touching by now.

Both exhausted after work, the conversations flows slowly, lazily and the times Hyungwon almost fall asleep are getting close to a double digit number. Changkyun always shakes him awake with an amused smile and offers to make coffee that Hyungwon refuses because he knows he needs to sleep when he actually gets home.

 

“Where do you work?” Changkyun asks one time, “At one of the nearby clubs, right?”

“Yeah” Hyungwon takes a sip of his drink, a beer this time, “at Black Swan”.

“Oh….are you…are you…?” Changkyun stutters and Hyungwon can see he’s blushing.

“Nah, I’m not. I’m the DJ.” He laughs, the urge to pinch Changkyun’s cheek strong.

“That’s hot.” The boy regains his former confidence and Hyungwon misses the blush on his cheeks already.

“You think I could be a stripper?” Hyungwon has been working with strippers for a couple of years, has double the respect than most people have for them and less than half their stamina.

“I can’t say if you could or could not”, Changkyun clinks their bottles together, “all I’m saying is that I’d tip well.”

“That’s nice to hear.” Hyungwon looks at the lights of the city. It’s the first time he thinks he wants to take Changkyun home with him, but he has to go home and shower and sleep and Changkyun probably has to work for a few more hours. So he is the one to leave a tip before leaving instead.

 

“Is that really what you wanted to do?” Hyungwon asks another night, the neon sign flickering above them. He’s sitting on one of the few stools in front of the canteen window, Changkyun cleaning inside.

“I wanted to be an astronaut.” Changkyun answers, Hyungwon laughing good-heartily. “I suppose this is fine too.”

“You always seem happy when I see you working here.” Hyungwon takes the bottle of ketchup to pour some more into his half eaten bun.

“Maybe that’s because you are here and not because I’m working.”

Hyungwon stares at him. At the quite clear indication and flirty tone in his voice. He still can’t find the words to ask him out, or invite him over, or something, anything more than greasy hot dogs in the small hours of the night.

Changkyun must be sensing his internal turmoil because he stares back just as hard, only for a moment before he winks, blows a kiss to Hyungwon and continues his work.

 

The freezing winter gives way to a breezy spring and that to an unbearably hot summer. Yet Hyungwon always finds his way to the canteen, before or after his job, shirt sticking on his skin and eyes trained on the boy inside the truck, blond hair giving way to black roots and the paint on his nails peeled off.

The club is floored with people, tourists and locals who apparently can’t get enough of the busy streets and enjoy spending their nights squished in the suffocating space, under heavy colorful lights and feeling the basses more than actually hearing them.

And afterwards, at those early hours it seems like all the party goers from all the clubs at the area are pouring into the small space in front of the canteen and Changkyun doesn’t have time for Hyungwon anymore.

Weekdays are a little better for a exchanging a few words, but Hyungwon misses all of their talks and the beers and putting as much ketchup as he wanted straight from Changkyun’s industrial sized bottle. He tells himself he’ll do something time after time, slip his phone number along with the money on the counter, or simply ask Changkyun out.

And night after night he fails, chickening out because of one reason or another, too many people around, the fear of failure and also that slight fear of success, because if it’s success Hyungwon will need to think of the next step afterwards.

 

He has imagined their first proper meeting –or should he call it a date- in detail. At a small coffee shop down the street, between flowers, with soft jazz playing at the background. They’ll probably both be a little awkward, giggly, shy with each other. And maybe afterwards Hyungwon will invite Changkyun over to play Mario kart and have a drink and before they notice it’ll be late and they’ll have to part. And then, before Changkyun leaves he’ll get on his toes to peck Hyungwon’s lips softly, promising to see each other in the daylight again soon.

 

Well, it’s nothing like this.

 

It’s Hyungwon’s least favorite time, midday. The streets and shops are filled, he’s sticky with sleep, barely awake for an hour or less and he’s forced to get out of the house because the fridge is as empty as his stomach. He doesn’t bother brushing his hair or changing clothes. Flip flops and Luigi pajamas are the proper attire for visiting the grocery store anyway.

He’s at the cereal aisle, trying to make out the best offer for chocolate ones when he spots him. A familiar bad dye job with overgrown roots and countless piercings, all half hidden under a black hoodie. Changkyun looks as ridiculous as him in daylight, with extra short jorts and crocs and his fuckboyish sleeveless shirt with the hoodie.

Hyungwon follows him around for a short while, curious as to how long they’ve been neighbors and still managed to not fall into each other in their way here or there. And when Changkyun finally stops in front of some very promising Doritos Hyungwon steps beside him as quietly as he can.

“Hey” he says, clearing his throat and Changkyun practically jumps turning around to face him.

There is a short, awkward silence during which Changkyun is staring at his pajamas in disbelief.

“Hyungwon?”

“Is that a question?” Hyungwon laughs, taking some chips from the shelves.

“Uhm. No.” Changkyun grabs two packets of Doritos for his basket, “What are you doing here?”

“I live literally next door.”

“…I live like a road away.”

And they both stand there, looking at each other and giggling. Maybe the midday hours are not as bad as he thought.

“I should have asked you to come over earlier.” Hyungwon mutters, both walking around, stopping at the fridges.

“Come over? Like a date?” Changkyun picks some fish sticks and flashes a smirk.

“Would you say no?” Hyungwon focuses at the bags of veggies in front of him, but at the moment he doesn’t even know what a carrot looks like if asked.

“Wouldn’t say no.” Changkyun says. “I don’t work tonight, take me to the club with you?”

Not the first date Hyungwon imagined, but a good one nonetheless.

 

And when they wake up together the next morning tangled on the bed Hyungwon makes them coffee and breakfast, Changkyun paddling around in a shirt too long for his small frame. And when he is about to leave it’s midday again, Hyungwon’s new favorite hour of the day. They stay at the doorframe talking, Changkyun getting on his tiptoes to peck the corner of his mouth before leaving with a promise to come back soon.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
